RACK1 antagonizes TNF-α-induced cell death by promoting p38 activation

p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity has been reported to either promote or suppress cell death, which depends on cell type and stimulus. Our previous report indicates that p38 exerts a protective role in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-induced cell death in L929 fibroblastoma cells. However, key molecules regulating p38 activation remain unclear. Here, we show that ectopic expression of scaffold protein receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1) suppressed TNF-alpha-induced cell death in L929 cells, which was associated with enhanced p38 activation. Knockdown of endogenous RACK1 expression exhibited opposite effects. The protective role of RACK1 in TNF-alpha-induced cell death diminished upon blockade of p38 activation. Therefore, RACK1 antagonizes TNF-alpha-induced cell death through, at least partially, augmenting p38 activation. Further exploration revealed that RACK1 directly bound to MKK3/6 and enhanced the kinase activity of MKK3/6 without affecting MKK3/6 phosphorylation. Similar effects of RACK1 were also observed in primary murine hepatocytes, another cell type sensitive to TNF-alpha-induced cell death. Taken together, our data suggest that RACK1 is a key factor involved in p38 activation as well as TNF-alpha-induced cell death.